WHO. At this point in their career, what more do they need to say. The WHO album came 13 years after Endless Wire which came 24 years after It’s Hard. While, the Who were a touring force over this time period, they only produced two albums in 37 years. How do these two later albums hold up against their canon which includes some of the greatest all-time rock albums.
To begin, we should start with 1982’s It’s Hard. It’s a pretty good record, including the opener “Athena” (“it’s a girl, it’s a girl”), an excellent rumbling John Entwistle number, “Dangerous,” and the concert anthem “Eminence Front.” Most reviews at the time had it as an improvement over the previous release, Face Dances. So in 2006, Endless Wire was met with curiosity and hesitancy. Twenty-four years is a long time (although as chronicled in other parts of this series, the Psychedelic Furs and Ride went 29 years between albums).
Was it on purpose that the first song on the first album in 24 years harks back to their heyday, specifically “Baba O’Riley?” I don’t know, but the opening synths on “Fragments” do just that (no matter how many times we’ve heard it, especially in concert, the intro of “Baba O’Riley” is still a magical moment). Endless Wire is divided in two; nine songs in the three-to-four-minute range and then a ten-song mini-opera, Wire & Glass. It’s a hit-and-miss album overall. Several songs ring true Who with the Pete power chords alternating with acoustic and Daltrey’s classic lead vocals, showing a more growly side after years of singing the band’s challenging tunes. These songs include, “Mike Post Theme,” “Black Widow’s Eyes,” “Two Thousand Years,” and “It’s Not Enough.”
The mini-opera is part of a larger rock opera Pete was working on at the time. It has its moments for sure, but the songs are mostly in the one-to-two-minute range. The ironically-named “We Got a Hit” is indeed a good song, but it clocks in at 1:18 (check out the video at the end of the post). You want it to keep going (they must have realized this, for on the deluxe CD edition there is an extended version, along with a DVD, Live at Lyon). “Mirror Door” rocks with that WHO controlled fury and is the meatiest song at over four minutes. The last song “Tea & Theatre” has become their closing song on the recent tours. It’s gentle, and in concert Roger and Pete actually sip some tea and reminisce. (They’ve come full circle since the smashing guitars days.) “The story is done, it’s getting colder now, a thousand songs still smolder now, we played them as one, and we’re getting older now.” “Before you walk from the stage, will you have some more tea?” Sounds like the swan song, doesn’t it?
D² Rating ◼◼◼☐☐
That’s why WHO in 2019 was such a surprise. Double that, when I heard the first single (and first song on the album), “All This Music Must Fade.” The first words you hear from Roger are, “I don’t care, I know you’re going hate this song.” For me, just the opposite! The song is a rousing welcome back (listen to it below). It would be almost impossible to maintain this high level throughout the album (that’s what makes Who’s Next such a classic; one of the few albums ever with no weak songs.) The next song (and second single) “Ball and Chain” is a bluesy stomp about Guantanamo Bay and continues the fine start to the album. Other highlights include the grand, lush “Hero Ground Zero” and another return to synths in “Street Song.” “Rockin’ in Rage” exemplifies the ageing theme of many songs (or let’s face it, when you’re 75, dying): “Well past my prime, denying the curtain, waiting on time.” A few songs that drag the album down are Simon Townshend’s acoustic contribution “Break the News,” “I Don’t Wanna Get Wise,” particularly the vocoder effects, and the last song, “She Rocked My World;” a completely out of place lounge-y, tango-like number.
As on Endless Wire, the remaining two Who are ably supported by Zak Starkey on drums (yes, son of Ringo) and Pino Palladino on bass. Joey Waronker (drums) and Heartbreaker Benmont Tench (keyboards) complement the band on Who. Pete and Roger were never together in the studio. That just seems wrong, but is a clear sign of the times that creative team efforts can be accomplished separately and remotely. Plus, as has been well documented, the two have a testy relationship at times. Pop Art fans will enjoy the collage cover, designed by Peter Blake, who also did the Face Dances cover, and will always be known for Sgt. Pepper’s.
Who sounds like the Who, but isn’t just a re-packaging of earlier sounds. It’s a varied, contemporary work that is influenced by their past, while reflecting the present (yes, a perfect embodiment of the POPTRANSMISSION slogan). Do 75-year-olds making music together for over 50 years get a ratings break when they continue to surprise us in the sunset of their careers? Maybe. They deserve it.
D² Rating ◼◼◼◩☐
Trivia ? – What was the Who’s first single?
Answer: “I Can’t Explain” in 1965
Trivia ? – (This band deserves two questions) What is the Who’s highest charting single in the U.S.?
Answer: “I Can See for Miles” at #9 in 1967
